vipra - brāhmaṇas; kṣatriya - kṣatriyas, the martial class; viṭ - vaiśyas, mercantile men; śūdrāḥ - śūdras, workers; mukha - from the mouth; bāhu - arms; ūru - thighs; pāda - and legs; jāḥ - born; vairājāt - from the universal form; puruṣāt - from the Personality of Godhead; jātāḥ - generated; ye - who; ātma - personal; ācāra - by activities; lakṣaṇāḥ - recognized.

In Tretā-yuga the four social orders were manifested from the universal form of the Personality of Godhead. The brāhmaṇas appeared from the Lord’s face, the kṣatriyas from the Lord’s arms, the vaiśyas from the Lord’s thighs and the śūdras from the legs of that mighty form. Each social division was recognized by its particular duties and behavior.